In March, the issue of whether or not college athletes should be paid inevitably surfaces due to the prominence of the NCAA championship basketball tournaments for women and men. The FBI investigation into corruption in college admissions at elite schools adds an additional element to the debate as it reveals that the rich will pay six- and seven-figure amounts to have their children simply admitted to many of the same schools that student-athletes attend for free.

Former NBA player Len Elmore, a Harvard law school graduate, points out that student-athletes receive "extraordinary benefits." Meanwhile, the FBI investigation reveals that the degree from a top school has value far beyond just the annual tuition, room and board costs that approach six figures.

For the elite, it is the name and the network that makes it worth paying huge amounts to consultants or in bribes so that their children can graduate from a top American university, which a scholarship athlete does at no cost

The good name of a school comes from its branding. For college athletes, getting their name out positively can be worth millions. The University of Iowa has more than 10 people working in athletic communications, in addition to a modern studio. They are paid well to promote the brand of Iowa sports and its student-athletes. It is no different for any other school in Iowa, or across America.

How much is the name of a school worth to a player as a result of its branding? A University of Wyoming study in 2017 found that its football team received the value of $46 million in branding in just that year. That works out to about $500,000 a player.

As to how this can work out for the individual athlete, this is best demonstrated by comparing Zion Williamson, arguably the best in college basketball for Duke University, and Giannia Antetokounmpo, who many contend is now the best NBA player for the Milwaukee Bucks. Little-known coming from Europe, Antetokounmpo was the 15th pick in 2013. The No. 1 pick that year, Anthony Bennett from UNLV, made $5.3 million his first year. Antetokounmpo pulled in $1.79 million. Thanks to the superior marketing and branding of a basketball power like UNLV or Duke, Bennett made $3.5 million more than Antetokounmpo in just the rookie season.

In addition to the name of the institution, the student-athlete also gains tremendously from the network. College athletes graduate at a higher rate with a higher grade-point average compared to the rest of the student body. A major reason for this is the network. The network resources provided to help a player do well in the classroom are far superior than those for the average student. Others on the team advise others what classes to take and which to avoid.

After graduation, the network can be even more valuable. Being a college athlete is obviously a huge advantage when pursuing employment in coaching or sports administration. There are former players ready to assist in the career climb. This is a major factor as a study from Ernst & Young, the consulting firm, found that more than half of the C-Level female executives played sports in college. Sweating together in practice and then bleeding in a game for victory forges bonds that can lead to a lifetime of career success.

The University of Iowa spends about $80 million on 806 student-athletes. That is right around $100,000 per athlete per year. Gov. Kim Reynolds makes $130,000.00 per year. Reynolds is taxed for what she receives, but student-athletes are not, especially for the branding and networking benefits.

Should college athletes be paid? No one has ever turned down a sports scholarship to instead graduate nearly $40,000 in debt like the average American college student.

The FBI investigation now lets us know that the global elite will pay millions simply to have their children admitted to a school in the United States that will cost them close to $100,000 annually for the next four years just to enjoy the name and networking benefits that scholarship athletes receive for free, along with tuition, room and board at no cost.

Jonathan Yates has worked for members of Congress and state legislators, both Democrats and Republicans. He taught "The Politics of Sports" at the University of Iowa as an adjunct.